Waiting for the loons…
The loons have been back for a few weeks, their distinctive calls echoing across many of the lakes and ponds around Bragg Creek and the neighbouring Kananaskis Country. I have had a couple of nice morning and evening encounters with them and am now looking forward to photographing the chicks.
Bobbi and I are off to the Khutzeymateen to catch up with the bears that I met last fall. They are up from their hibernation and the cubs will be out to play while the mothers stay wary of the boars who are looking to couple up. It will be an exciting trip and I’m so happy Bobbi is able to join me this time around. When we get back, I will be out looking for the loons and their babies.
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Turner Valley Hawk
A Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) launches over the fields near the town of Turner Valley in Alberta, Canada.
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Owl Flight
Canon 5DIII and 500mm lens: 1/3200 second at f/4 on ISO 1600
This owl caught sight of something from a branch above the grass and silently launched. It glided past me and then dropped into the tall grass – flying away with a mouse in its beak shortly thereafter.
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Swainson’s Hawk in Springbank
Driving with the kids along Lower Springbank Road, I was hoping there would be some hawks hunting along the freshly tilled fields out that way. On the second or third field my son spied a light morph Swainson’s Hawk (Buteo swainsoni) standing on a fence post.
We watched it make a few short flights over the soil before heading continuing on. Spring is a great time for driving, and photographing, on the prairies.
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Full extension
Canon 5DIII and 500mm lens: 1/2000 second at f/4 on ISO 800
When this Red-tailed hawk launched off the post I had been watching him on for a few minutes, I was really impressed by the power and balance displayed. He flew closer and then went to the ground after circling back towards the fenceline. Unfortunately, it wasn’t an attacking dive only an uninspired landing in the tall grass.
Canon 5DIII and 500mm lens: 1/2000 second at f/4 on ISO 800
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Spring with Robins in Fernie
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Although Fernie is in the heart of the Rockies, it is deeper into spring than Calgary so the visit there over the Easter weekend was great. Robins have always been a sure sign of spring for me and I found a few hunting in a field during the rain. This one was particularly beautiful as it chirped away from its perch in a tree by the Elk River.
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Flight of a Tundra Swan
There are large gatherings of swans on the prairie around Frank Lake right now. This area is on the migration path and I really enjoy getting to see these birds when they pass through. This Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) was sharing a small flat of ice apart from a small group. I watched them, and they watched me for a few minutes.
Then they took their running launch to get into the sky. Heading into a steady headwind, they seemed to gain altitude very quickly once they were airborne.
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A pigeon on the prairie
Canon 5DIII + 500mm lens: 1/3200 seconds at f/4 on ISO 800
I spent an afternoon on the prairie east of High River, birds are stocking up in the fields as they head north. Swans, Pintails, Geese and a number of Bald Eagles were active in the sky. At one grain bin where I saw a Kestrel streaking by, this pigeon proved less elusive. Curiosity drew it out for a couple of quick looks. In the direct sunlight I liked the iridescent purple on the throat.
Canon 5DIII + 500mm lens: 1/1600 seconds at f/4 on ISO 800
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Raven flight
Canon 5DIII + 70-200mm lens at 200mm: 1/6400th of a second at f/4 on ISO 1600
I went out for a long walk in Kananaskis this morning. Along an old road I hadn’t traveled on before, I was kept company by the heavy snow falling and a lone raven that croaked as I was returning to the trailhead. I stopped for a few minutes and heard another raven further down the valley that was talking with “my” raven. This one flew off in that direction and I carried on.
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A Gila Woodpecker in Los Cabos
Canon 5DIII + 70-200 lens and 1.4x extender at 280mm: 1/5000 of a second at f/6.3 on ISO 800
When my wife and I went to Cabo San Lucas last December I was lucky to find this Gila Woodpecker (Melanerpes uropygialis) in a stand of cacti during a morning walk. I had noticed the hole in this cactus and was looking on when this one flew in. It poked its head out a couple of times before heading off again. I carried on and saw it flying around a couple more times when I came back that way near the end of my stroll.
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Just pecking away
One of our resident woodpeckers was drumming away for a good part of the afternoon a few days ago. Several Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers have wintered near our home this year.
The long bill of the Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) was put to good use by this fellow. He used it to his advantage pecking away at the bark. I’m not sure if it was idle practice or if, despite the cool temperatures, there were insects to be had.
With warmer temperatures coming back this weekend, I hope to see them out pecking again.
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Great Blue Heron at Red Rock Crossing
The Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias) I see are usually wading in the water or flying above it. When I was in Sedona I went down to Red Rock Crossing and was surprised to catch sight of one not by Oak Creek but in a field of tall grass a couple of hundred meters away from the water.
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The bird was walking on a path leading up towards a ridge but lingered fairly close which allowed me to change lenses for a couple of different looks. I really love these birds and it was a treat to see one in an unusual environment.
I noticed some crimson flecks on its bill and when I left the bird and went back towards Oak Creek, I figured out why the Heron stayed nearby. I realized I had interrupted its dinner. I left the area and returned to the edge of the clearing an hour later to find it had left but not before returning to finish the meal.
Christopher Martin Photography 